


Plant

by pyromanicofthesea



Series: A Pridecember Winter Wonderland [15]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: M/M, mild griefing/mourning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-10 21:14:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 649
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28283793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pyromanicofthesea/pseuds/pyromanicofthesea
Summary: The weather was always overcast when he arrived at the site. It didn't matter how clear the sky was when he left. By the time he arrived, a solid mass of grey rolled in without fail. The weather was a fickle thing. Predictions could only do so much to warn one of the day. Clouds changed with the wind and the wind changed as it pleased.
Relationships: Atem/Kaiba Seto
Series: A Pridecember Winter Wonderland [15]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2055513
Comments: 4
Kudos: 9





	Plant

The weather was always overcast when he arrived at the site. It didn't matter how clear the sky was when he left. By the time he arrived, a solid mass of grey rolled in without fail. The weather was a fickle thing. Predictions could only do so much to warn one of the day. Clouds changed with the wind and the wind changed as it pleased. It would seem the wind blew towards the little plot of land that was chosen to be Atem's grave-site in Domino, pushing the clouds and stilling to leave the clouds hovering over the lush green part of the Kaiba Corporation-funded park.

The site was secluded enough that friends of the Pharaoh could visit in peace, yet open enough anyone in the park could enjoy the site if they stumbled upon it. Kaiba wanted to build something grand. A proper memorial. Yugi insisted Atem would like this better, and he didn't have the drive to argue after finding out the Pharaoh left, so he gave Yugi full control of the project to focus on his own means of coping. He intended to find Atem's tomb and bring him back. They had unfinished business together. He refused to be left behind. Finding the tomb only brought back the pain of abandonment he so carefully buried during his search.

The grave-site became a place of refuge for Kaiba, despite knowing it served no real connection to Atem except symbolically. He would come near midday, dressed in street clothes, and tend to the surrounding garden as he talked quietly to the gravestone. Sometimes he addressed Atem directly, but usually he didn't bother to pretend like Atem could actually hear him.

"I'm almost done, you know," he said as he patted dirt around the fresh white lily he had planted. He dug another hole with his hand trowel and gently placed another lily inside. "I test the dimensional jump next month." He scooped up the removed dirt and filled the spaces around the newly-planted flower, patting it down with care. "I'm going to see you again, Atem. I will not let you forget about me."

Kaiba dug another hole, planting a yellow lily in this one instead of white. Lilies dotted the near vicinity of the grave-site. Some were dying and in need of removal, while others were flourishing despite little care on Kaiba's part. It made him wonder if he was not the only one making regular visits to the grave-site. He doubted he was, even if he had yet to encounter another person during his visits. He planted another lily.

Weeding the area was less enjoyable than planting the flowers, but it was work that needed to be done to keep the grave-site looking well. He didn't always weed. Some days he only weeded. It really depended on the day. Today he weeded around the newly planted lilies, but didn't do any more. It was nearly rush hour for traffic and he had been there since midday again. He had no one to answer to, but the overcast weather was beginning to make the growing evening cold. He only had with him a light jacket.

Kaiba stood and his knees groaned in protest. He had been kneeling too long, but that happened every time, and he wasn't about to change his habits. He brushed the dirt off his pants and gathered what he brought. All the lilies that came with him were planted now, filling the area closest to the headstone with vibrant yellow and white. The headstone had Atem's name carved into it, in multiple scripts, and Kaiba brushed his fingers across the hieroglyphs of the top line.

"Just you wait, Atem. This time, I will make sure you never forget me." Kaiba turned and left the grave-site, the end of his jacket catching the wind and flowing open behind him as he walked away.


End file.
